LF Energy has announced the release of SEAPATH, marking its first production-ready version of an open source, security-hardened hypervisor specifically designed for the digitalization of electrical substations. As the energy transition progresses, utilities are in search of new Digital Substation Automation Systems (DSAS) capable of providing complex and adaptive automation functions. SEAPATH serves this need by offering a hypervisor designed for IEC 61850 DSAS, ensuring interoperability, compliance with industry standards, and robust cybersecurity measures.

The project has attracted contributions from various utilities and vendors, including Alliander, RTE, GE Vernova, Red Hat, Savoir-faire Linux, and Welotec. The blend of organizations involved helps foster a trustworthy code base supported by a growing ecosystem of services and products derived from the platform.

Prior deployments of SEAPATH have occurred in test and production environments with organizations such as GE Vernova and RTE reporting success in performance improvements and robustness. The official release of version 1.0 is anticipated to lead to more extensive production deployments.

LF Energy's Executive Director, Alex Thornton, emphasized the importance of digitalizing substations, stating that this development will help enhance grid efficiency, crucial for the objectives of energy transition. Eloi Bail, Chair of the Technical Steering Committee, highlighted that the SEAPATH project exemplifies the advantages of an open source approach in fostering continuous innovation while remaining cost-effective.

Several participating organizations have expressed confidence in SEAPATH, noting its potential to meet the demands of modern Protection, Automation, and Control Systems (PACS) and enhance operational capabilities within the energy sector.